New Delhi: Venture Catalysts has led an $850,000 seed funding round in Umagine Hydrogen Pvt. Ltd. (branded H2 Carbon Zero), a deep-tech manufacturer of modular and stackable hydrogen fuel-cell systems.
The funding round, which also saw participation from Faad Networks, will accelerate H2 Carbon Zero’s plan to establish India’s first gigawatt-scale hydrogen fuel cell factory, aimed at replacing diesel generators across telecom, data centre, defence, and off-grid applications.
Clean Power with Indigenous Hydrogen Fuel Cells
H2 Carbon Zero designs and manufactures scalable fuel-cell systems, ranging from compact sub-kilowatt modules for defence use to multi-megawatt solutions for grid-scale power and long-duration energy storage.
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The company’s proprietary architecture enables seamless integration of hydrogen, battery, and solar assets in a plug-and-play manner, significantly reducing installation time and ownership costs.
Each hydrogen fuel-cell system is 100% made in India, aligning with the government’s National Green Hydrogen Mission and its focus on local manufacturing and clean energy innovation.
Mission to Replace Diesel Generators
Founded by chemical engineer Santosh Gurunath and civil engineer Laxmikant Banjarey, H2 Carbon Zero combines deep engineering expertise with entrepreneurial experience.
Gurunath brings over a decade of experience across oil & gas, solar energy, EV infrastructure, and hydrogen projects, having previously led hydrogen safety initiatives at Shell and worked as a management consultant at McKinsey and BCG.
Co-founder Laxmikant Banjarey, known for co-founding Arcatron Mobility (Frido), has spent over 11 years developing innovative products in mobility and climate-tech. Their combined expertise positions H2 Carbon Zero at the forefront of India’s emerging hydrogen economy.
H2 Carbon Zero’s Growth Plan
Commenting on the investment, Dr Apoorva Ranjan Sharma, from Venture Catalysts, said, “Clean, dispatchable power is the missing piece in India’s renewable energy landscape.
H2 Carbon Zero’s indigenous hydrogen fuel-cell technology converts green hydrogen into electricity with zero emissions, offering the reliability of diesel without pollution or noise.”
He added that the startup’s cost-competitive technology can tap into a $1.5 billion domestic market and a $25 billion global opportunity, helping position India as a leader in the green hydrogen economy expected to grow thirty-fold this decade.
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H2 Carbon Zero to Begin Gigawatt-Scale Manufacturing and Field Trials
Speaking about the next phase of growth, Santosh Gurunath, Co-founder and CEO of H2 Carbon Zero, said, “With the support of Venture Catalysts and Faad Networks, we are moving closer to making the diesel generator obsolete. This investment allows us to commence work on our gigawatt-scale facility, expand our engineering team, and conduct field trials with early customers across telecom, construction, and defence sectors.”
Driving India’s Net-Zero Vision Through Hydrogen Innovation
The investment reflects Venture Catalysts’ conviction in climate-tech hardware that combines strong unit economics with environmental impact.
With its 5,500-member mentor network and global partnerships, the firm will assist H2 Carbon Zero in achieving regulatory approvals, scaling manufacturing, and entering international markets – supporting India’s net-zero emissions target by 2070.
